In order to achieve a pleasing aesthetic appearance, decorative trim pieces, often referred to as crown molding, are sometimes installed at an angle along the intersection of a horizontal and a vertical surface, such as is formed by the ceiling and the walls of a room, for example. Such angled moldings are also often attached at the top end of the vertical front and sides of cabinetry or furniture pieces. Traditionally, such angled trim pieces have been mounted in such a manner that they tilt outward from the mounting surface at predetermined angles, such as 38 degrees, 45 degrees or 52 degrees. Crown molding will typically be designed for use at a particular predetermined angle.
Where adjacent pieces of crown molding intersect one another, such as at the corners of a room, or at the corners of a piece of cabinetry or furniture, for example, the abutting pieces of molding must be precisely cut at a compound angle, in order to achieve a proper fit at the juncture of the two adjacent pieces of angled molding. Typically, such cutting is done with the use of a device such as a mitre saw, which has a horizontal table and a fence extending vertically above the table, for supporting the work piece as it is cut to the proper angle. In the past, in order to cut crown molding on a saw having a standard table and fence arrangement, it has been necessary to place the work piece on the table in a position substantially upside down and reversed from the position in which it is to be installed. The blade of the saw must then be precisely set at an angle which is also substantially opposite from the angle at which the finished piece will abut the adjoining piece of molding when installed.
As anyone who has ever attempted to cut crown molding with a typical mitre saw table and fence arrangement will attest, the entire process can be very confusing and frustrating, and often results in the waste of considerable material and time due to mistakes being made in trying to get the work piece properly oriented in the proper upside-down, backwards, oppositely oriented position on the saw table.
It is highly desirable, therefore, to provide an improved apparatus and method for cutting work pieces of crown molding and the like, using typical mitre-cutting saws in a manner which allows the work piece to be positioned with reference to the table and fence of the mitre-cutting saw in the same orientation as the crown molding will eventually be installed.